(This post is the 43rd of what will be approximately 70 posts following 820th anniversary highlights of what history now calls the “Third Crusade.” My novel, The Swords of Faith, tells the story of this legendary clash between Richard the Lionheart and Saladin.)

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In the November 8th post of the 820th anniversary series of the “Third Crusade,” I mentioned that Saladin’s brother al-Adil had two reasons for delaying tactics in the negotiations between Muslims and Christians. The second and most important reason was weather. Apparently Richard the Lionheart had no idea what the weather in this area was like during the winter, or if the locals had told him, Richard hadn’t believed or understood it. 820 years ago today, Saladin abandoned positions between Jaffa and Jerusalem, and took up residence in the city the two religions were fighting over. He would let the weather create the delay now. He did not expect any move against Jerusalem until the following spring.